Membership Requirements 

Our preschool is a cooperative preschool. As such, it requires all member families to participate in the following:

·     Parent teach 2-4 times/month  (depending on the number of days your child attends)

·     Attend 5 parent meeting/education nights

·     Participate in fundraisers  (buyout option available)

·     Participate in 1 preschool clean up day

·     Participate as a member of the Executive Board or fulfill a committee assignment

·     Recommended readings: Taking Charge  by Joanne Nordling, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

Parent Teaching We believe that as the children and parents share in the learning atmosphere the children and parents develop a sense of community that would not otherwise be possible. There are not only benefits to a child having his or her own parent in the classroom, but also in interacting with other children’s parents.  There are three parent teachers each day and scheduling is done on a monthly basis to coordinate with the parents' schedules.  The main job of the parent teacher is to help the children explore the possibilities of what is around them and to model respectful behavior for the children.  There are also task boards for each parent for the mundane aspects of who cleans which area at the end of the day.
Registration and Fees

In January we begin accepting registration forms from returning families and alumni members.  An open house will be scheduled each February (check announcments) at which time we will begin accepting applications from the general public. A non-refundable fee of $20 must accompany all applications to be included in the lottery, after which we will mail notifications of your child’s placement in a class or a position on the waitlist. Application can be dropped off at the school, or mailed to the following address:

Brooklyn Preschool

P.O. Box 82035

Portland, OR 97282-2035

To reserve your placement in a class, a non-refundable payment of $150 is due.  This payment will be applied to first and last month’s tuition.  If openings remain at this point, we will begin calling the applicants on the waitlist.

A Parent Orientation, held in late May is the first of the required parent meetings. The next mandatory parent meeting will be held in late August or early September at which time you will be asked to pay the balance of first and last month’s tuition plus half of the yearly insurance fees, $29 (These amounts are subject to change each year). Questions?
Call our membership chair @ (503) 234-7103 or email her at Kate and GregThomas.


Financial Obligation

Financial support for Brooklyn Preschool comes from two sources:  tuition and fundraising.      

Tuition 2009-2010 (subject to increase)

            3s and 4s (2 days/week):              $  99 monthly

            4s and 5s (3 days/week):              $ 144 monthly

            5 days/week M-F:                     $ 233  monthly           

Tuition is due each month, September through May.  Two weeks written notice of withdrawal is required for a tuition refund. Families with more than one child enrolled will receive a 20% reduction of tuition for the seond child OR a reduction of 50% in parent teaching requirement for the second child. (The second child is the one who attends fewer days.)

Fundraising

Fundraising provides money for supplies, operating revenue, special events and special needs, and is therefore a very important aspect of Brooklyn Preschool’s finances.  Families are required to participate in our fundraising activities, which are divided into two half-year semesters.  There are usually two events in the first half semester and two or three in the second.  During each half-year, families need to either sell a minimum in goods, or pay a "buyout" that equals the profits that they would have made had they participated.  Our fundraising events are fun; the goods are what many people want to buy.  Fundraisers that have been done in the past include wreath sales,  plant sales, wrapping paper sale, coupon book sales and silent auctions.  

The purchasing of scrip is another way to meet the fundraising goals.  Scrip is a process by which you buy store gift certificates through the Preschool and the merchant donates a percentage of each sale to Brooklyn Preschool.  Scrip merchants include most major grocery stores, family restaurants, and many clothing and gift stores.  Between fundraising events and scrip purchases most families meet their fundraising goals. 

Insurance Fees

Liability/accident insurance is required for every child enrolled in the school.  The fee is $56, of which $28 is due prior to the first day of school.  The remaining $28 is due in January.  This fee is non-refundable.

Financial Aid

Partial financial aid is available for those in need.  Ask the membership coordinator for an application form.